


A Cultural Misunderstanding

by Miah_Arthur



Category: The Orville (TV)
Genre: Episode: s01e09 Cupid's Dagger, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/M, M/M, Morning After, Regret, Sex Pollen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-19 23:27:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19982308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miah_Arthur/pseuds/Miah_Arthur
Summary: He hadn’t been eaten, imprisoned, or poisoned. Live and learn. That was the Union way.





	A Cultural Misunderstanding

## A Cultural Misunderstanding

Ed slinked into his quarters and set the door to Do Not Disturb. His jacket hit the floor two paces in. He jerked to a stop at the foot of the bed. _Heart hammering in his chest, nerves tingling with the worry that Darulio might not like what he had to offer._ Ed stumbled back. _He hadn’t been with a man in years. Not since he met Kelly, but every touch set off fireworks of pleasure._ Ed faceplanted onto the couch. _Darulio guided him as his knees seemed to forget how to work, and they landed on the bed with Darulio over him._ He’d made an enormous fool of himself, nearly caused a war, and had sex with a man he had every reason to despise, and no one was really to blame. Ed groaned and rolled over enough that he could breathe. Darulio had even told him before it started that in his culture it was rude to refuse sex. For all Ed knew, Darulio had no real interest in sex with him either, but couldn’t politely refuse it once Ed offered. 

It had been _good_ sex. His dick was hard remembering it; at the same time he felt like he needed another shower. Darulio had known once they’d started following him around like lovesick teenagers that he’d infected both Ed and Kelly with his stupid sex pollen. Apparently his species’ heat cycle varied enough that he hadn’t known before arriving. Random people madly chemically in lust with other people was just Tuesday to Retepsian. The Admiralty had already ordered a training session in the prudishness of other species for Darulio’s people, the few of them who lived off-world. There wouldn’t be another surprise situation.

It was in his record. 

The training requirement would forever have his name and/or face associated with it. Even if they redacted it, the story would get around. He was already the officer who fell apart because his wife slept with a Retepsian. Now this? If it had been anyone else on board, other than the Captain and First Mate, if the doctor hadn’t also been affected, it might have been different. As it was, he remembered that he would have happily thrown Gordon in the brig for trying to stop him. He bolted off the couch, shedding clothes on his way to the shower. 

A cultural misunderstanding. These things happened in a Union this large and varied. He hadn’t been eaten, imprisoned, or poisoned. This wouldn’t damage his career. Live and learn. That was the Union way. It didn’t stop the disgust he felt over how damn great the sex had felt at the time. He thunked his head on the wall. First Pria and now Darulio? Never having sex again was sounding better all the time.

Ah, the hell with it. He shut off the water, dried off and redressed. It happened. It was skeevy. No one was to blame, however much he wished there were. Tonight he was going to watch violent classic movies, get shitfaced, and pass out on his couch. Tomorrow he would find some other distraction, and he was going to keep finding distractions as long as he needed them. It was the Union way.


End file.
